VOLUNTEERS are the backbone of the Nambucca Valley.
For Nambucca Valley Australian Red Cross Emergency Services volunteers Adele McCollom, Mary Ball and Helen Mower, giving back has become a way of life.
They support their community through emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
Adele’s connection to the region spans decades.
“I came to Nambucca Heads in 1983 and was appointed as a full-time teacher of Business at Coffs Harbour with NSW TAFE,” she said.
Over her long teaching career, Adele built strong ties across the Valley and saw firsthand how education could change lives.
“Being part of Red Cross would allow me to continue helping the community in a different way but still support and assist the residents of the Nambucca Valley.”
Her volunteer work has been extensive, from supporting evacuation and recovery centres to helping establish Community Resilience Teams.
She said the most rewarding aspect is “assisting individuals, families and the community… be it in fires, floods or any type of disaster event.”
Mary’s connection to the Valley began in childhood, returning for holidays before eventually settling in the area more than two decades ago.
“I come from a long line of community minded family members… so it felt like a natural progression to become involved in our local community,” she said.
Her leadership has played a pivotal role in strengthening the local Red Cross team.
“On a personal note I am really proud of growing the Red Cross Emergency Services team over the past 14 years from two to 18 volunteers,” she said.
Mary has led community preparedness programs, supported disaster recovery efforts and trained volunteers in Psychological First Aid (PFA).
“Through the skill of PFA I am able to ‘look, listen and link’ during an emergency event… I have the privilege of helping someone when they are at their most vulnerable.”
Helen’s path into volunteering was shaped by personal experience.
“I came to the Nambucca Valley in 1985 from South Australia having lost our home in the ‘Ash Wednesday’ bushfires,” she said.
That experience has driven Helen’s commitment to helping others facing similar challenges.
She became involved with Red Cross Emergency Services six years ago and has since contributed to preparedness programs, recovery efforts and community resilience initiatives.
“I enjoy working with the wonderful team members we are privileged to have in the Nambucca Valley Emergency Services,” she said.
“It is always rewarding working and volunteering for those impacted in our local community.”
Helen also highlighted the importance of collaboration and diverse skills within the team, noting volunteers bring experience from education, health, government and emergency services.
All three women have been part of major responses, including the ‘Black Summer’ bushfires and subsequent flood events, reinforcing the critical role of trained volunteers in times of crisis.
Looking ahead, their focus remains firmly on strengthening community resilience.
Adele hopes to see a greater number of Community Resilience Teams] in the Valley and outlying rural districts.
Mary wants preparedness messaging to reach even more residents, while also supporting the development of casual volunteer pathways.
Helen expressed a simple but powerful wish.
“We trust that our local community will have an ‘emergency free’ time,” while acknowledging recovery remains an ongoing process for many.
Together, these three women represent the quiet strength behind the Nambucca Valley’s emergency response network.
They are a team built on trust, experience and a shared commitment to helping others when it matters most.
To join Adele, Mary or Helen as volunteers visit https://www.redcross.org.au/emergencyvolunteer.
By Sis HIGGINS
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